Betty Hill Dress

University of New Hampshire, Durham, NHIn 1961, Betty and Barney Hill were allegedly abducted by aliens. This vintage, torn dress worn by Betty that strange fall night still carries a stain of an otherworldly nature. I’m afraid to ask.9601280

University of New Hampshire, Durham, NHIn 1961, Betty and Barney Hill were allegedly abducted by aliens. This vintage, torn dress worn by Betty that strange fall night still carries a stain of an otherworldly nature. I’m afraid to ask.

The Mars Spirit Rover

The Mars Spirit Rover

New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Albuquerque, NMIt’s 2004 and our robot representative moves along on the Martian surface hobbled by a malfunctioning wheel. But the broken wheel scrapes away soil, leading to a major discovery: silica. Proof there once was water on the Red Planet.9601280

New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Albuquerque, NMIt’s 2004 and our robot representative moves along on the Martian surface hobbled by a malfunctioning wheel. But the broken wheel scrapes away soil, leading to a major discovery: silica. Proof there once was water on the Red Planet.

Sheet Music

Sheet Music

Circus World Museum, Baraboo, WIJuly 6, 1944. A terrible fire consumes a Ringling Brothers’ circus tent, killing 168 people. The investigation turns up the problem: the tent was waterproofed using paraffin and gasoline. What were they thinking?9601280

Circus World Museum, Baraboo, WIJuly 6, 1944. A terrible fire consumes a Ringling Brothers’ circus tent, killing 168 people. The investigation turns up the problem: the tent was waterproofed using paraffin and gasoline. What were they thinking?

The Flying Car

The Flying Car

Museum of Flight, Seattle, WAThe initial test flight of this machine must have been a terror. After all, cars should be driven, not flown (just one man’s opinion).9601280

Museum of Flight, Seattle, WAThe initial test flight of this machine must have been a terror. After all, cars should be driven, not flown (just one man’s opinion).

Credit Card Machine

Credit Card Machine

Valdez Museum, Valdez, AKOn March 27, 1964 the second-largest earthquake in recorded history strikes Valdez, Alaska. Fifty years later this credit card machine from a gas station along the destroyed waterfront turns up in the weeds, a card still intact.9601280

Valdez Museum, Valdez, AKOn March 27, 1964 the second-largest earthquake in recorded history strikes Valdez, Alaska. Fifty years later this credit card machine from a gas station along the destroyed waterfront turns up in the weeds, a card still intact.

Cher Ami, Hero Pigeon

Cher Ami, Hero Pigeon

US Army Signal Corps Museum, Fort Gordon, GAIn 1918, a homing pigeon named Cher Ami saved the lives of 194 US soldiers under a deadly barrage of friendly fire -- and this pigeon did it flying 25 miles after taking a bullet from a German sniper.9601280

US Army Signal Corps Museum, Fort Gordon, GAIn 1918, a homing pigeon named Cher Ami saved the lives of 194 US soldiers under a deadly barrage of friendly fire -- and this pigeon did it flying 25 miles after taking a bullet from a German sniper.

Kittenger's Jumpsuit

Kittenger's Jumpsuit

National Museum of the US Air Force, Dayton, OHIn 1958, Capt. Joseph Kittenger wore this jumpsuit to test a new parachute system designed to save the lives of ejecting US pilots. But he would have to risk his own life, jumping from more than 20 miles above the earth!9601280

National Museum of the US Air Force, Dayton, OHIn 1958, Capt. Joseph Kittenger wore this jumpsuit to test a new parachute system designed to save the lives of ejecting US pilots. But he would have to risk his own life, jumping from more than 20 miles above the earth!

Pullman Car Lighting Brackets

Pullman Car Lighting Brackets

Seattle Museum of History and Industry, Seattle, WA A devastating avalanche destroys a Great Northern Railway car stopped in the Cascade Mountains en route to Seattle. Decades later, these bent pieces of metal turn up, evidence of a tragedy that killed more than 100 passengers.9601280

Seattle Museum of History and Industry, Seattle, WA A devastating avalanche destroys a Great Northern Railway car stopped in the Cascade Mountains en route to Seattle. Decades later, these bent pieces of metal turn up, evidence of a tragedy that killed more than 100 passengers.

Einstein's Stolen Brain

Einstein's Stolen Brain

Mutter Museum, Philadelphia, PAWhen Albert Einstein dies in 1955, his brain is illegally preserved and dissected by the doctor who performs his autopsy. He mounts specimens of the brain on microscope slides -- and makes a valuable discovery.9601280

Mutter Museum, Philadelphia, PAWhen Albert Einstein dies in 1955, his brain is illegally preserved and dissected by the doctor who performs his autopsy. He mounts specimens of the brain on microscope slides -- and makes a valuable discovery.

Spanish Treasure

Spanish Treasure

McLarty Treasure Museum, Sebastian, FL In 1961, after a decade of searching, Kip Wagner realizes his dream and discovers buried Spanish treasure at the bottom of the sea -- worth about 20 million bucks then and a whole lot more today.9601280

McLarty Treasure Museum, Sebastian, FL In 1961, after a decade of searching, Kip Wagner realizes his dream and discovers buried Spanish treasure at the bottom of the sea -- worth about 20 million bucks then and a whole lot more today.

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Texas City Disaster

Texas City Disaster

A shoe that was found on the day of the Texas City Disaster on display at the Texas City Museum. The April 16, 1947, incident was the deadliest industrial accident in US history, and killed almost 600 people. 9601280

A shoe that was found on the day of the Texas City Disaster on display at the Texas City Museum. The April 16, 1947, incident was the deadliest industrial accident in US history, and killed almost 600 people.

bezoar stones

bezoar stones

At the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum Heritage Society in Key West, FL, archaeologist Corey Malcolm discusses bezoar stones -- once believed to be an antidote to any poison. 9601280

At the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum Heritage Society in Key West, FL, archaeologist Corey Malcolm discusses bezoar stones -- once believed to be an antidote to any poison.

Evel Knievel’s Harley-Davidson

Evel Knievel’s Harley-Davidson

Infamous daredevil Evel Knievel’s Harley-Davidson motorcycle on display at the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC. Knievel successfully jumped over 14 Greyhound buses on the bike. 9601280

Infamous daredevil Evel Knievel’s Harley-Davidson motorcycle on display at the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC. Knievel successfully jumped over 14 Greyhound buses on the bike.

laughing gas

laughing gas

At the Museum of the City of New York is a strange artifact -- an invitation to a laughing gas party. 9601280

At the Museum of the City of New York is a strange artifact -- an invitation to a laughing gas party.

Bezoar stone

Bezoar stone

A bezoar stone on display at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum. 9601280

A bezoar stone on display at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum.

Bright's Pioneer Exhibit

Bright's Pioneer Exhibit

At Bright's Pioneer Exhibit in Le Grand, CA, is an ordinary yellow schoolbus that became ensnared in a crime so heinous that it would devastate an entire community.9601280

At Bright's Pioneer Exhibit in Le Grand, CA, is an ordinary yellow schoolbus that became ensnared in a crime so heinous that it would devastate an entire community.

Toy exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York

Toy exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York

A turn-of-the-century toy exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York.9601280

A turn-of-the-century toy exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York.

Bright’s Pioneer Exhibit

Bright’s Pioneer Exhibit

Bright’s Pioneer Exhibit owner James Bright on the schoolbus that was part of the largest kidnapping for ransom in US history.9601280

Bright’s Pioneer Exhibit owner James Bright on the schoolbus that was part of the largest kidnapping for ransom in US history.

A gold poison cup

A gold poison cup

A gold poison cup on display at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum. 9601280

A gold poison cup on display at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum.

Texas City Park

Texas City Park

The Texas City Park in Texas City, TX. 9601280

The Texas City Park in Texas City, TX.

Atocha

Atocha

A model of Atocha, a Spanish ship that sank in 1622 off the Florida Keys, on display at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum.9601280

A model of Atocha, a Spanish ship that sank in 1622 off the Florida Keys, on display at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum.

Bars of silver

Bars of silver

Large bars of silver that were recovered from the sunken Spanish ship. 9601280

Large bars of silver that were recovered from the sunken Spanish ship.

Museum of the City of New York

Museum of the City of New York

Museum curator Sarah Henry holds an artifact at the Museum of the City of New York.9601280

Museum curator Sarah Henry holds an artifact at the Museum of the City of New York.

The Cecil Beaton costume collection

The Cecil Beaton costume collection at the Museum of the City of New York. 9601280

The Cecil Beaton costume collection at the Museum of the City of New York.

Museum of the City of New York

Museum of the City of New York

Hidden away in the Museum of the City of New York’s archives is an elegant ebony and sterling silver trowel. This delicate souvenir is linked to an unparalleled disaster that encased a burning building in ice, threatening to destroy Manhattan’s first skyscraper and one of the city’s most significant repositories of wealth. 9601280

Hidden away in the Museum of the City of New York’s archives is an elegant ebony and sterling silver trowel. This delicate souvenir is linked to an unparalleled disaster that encased a burning building in ice, threatening to destroy Manhattan’s first skyscraper and one of the city’s most significant repositories of wealth.

Los Angeles Police Historical Society

Los Angeles Police Historical Society

At the Los Angeles Police Historical Society are relics from some of the city’s most heinous crimes -- including an unusually heavy, handmade garment that played a part in one of the most notorious shootouts in US history. 9601280

At the Los Angeles Police Historical Society are relics from some of the city’s most heinous crimes -- including an unusually heavy, handmade garment that played a part in one of the most notorious shootouts in US history.

Lilydale Museum

Lilydale Museum

An attic room above the Lilydale Museum in Lilydale, NY. 9601280

An attic room above the Lilydale Museum in Lilydale, NY.

Smithsonian Museum of American History

Smithsonian Museum of American History

A rocket launcher from World War II at the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC. 9601280

A rocket launcher from World War II at the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC.

Notes for the pocket computer

Notes for the pocket computer

At the MIT Museum, Thomas Bass, author of The Eudaemonic Pie, reads notes written by Ed Thorp and Claude Shannon. The 2 mathematical geniuses attempted to build a computer that could predict the game of roulette.9601280

At the MIT Museum, Thomas Bass, author of The Eudaemonic Pie, reads notes written by Ed Thorp and Claude Shannon. The 2 mathematical geniuses attempted to build a computer that could predict the game of roulette.

Kansas History Museum

Kansas History Museum

In the collections of the Kansas History Museum in Topeka is a placard plucked from a bleak era worldwide. Printed on its face is a single word that in the early 20th century foretold a death sentence … "influenza." 9601280

In the collections of the Kansas History Museum in Topeka is a placard plucked from a bleak era worldwide. Printed on its face is a single word that in the early 20th century foretold a death sentence … "influenza."

Smithsonian Museum of American History

Smithsonian Museum of American History

A machine gun from World War II on display at the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC. 9601280

A machine gun from World War II on display at the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC.

Influenza mask

Influenza mask

An influenza mask on display at the Kansas Historical Society in Topeka.9601280

An influenza mask on display at the Kansas Historical Society in Topeka.

Uniforms from World War II

Uniforms from World War II

Uniforms from World War II at the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC. 9601280

Uniforms from World War II at the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC.

Roulette

Roulette

At the MIT Museum in Cambridge, MA, Thomas Bass examines the world’s first wearable computer. The device was used by Claude Shannon and Ed Thorp to increase their odds at the game of roulette. Believe it or not, this was not considered illegal or cheating at the time.9601280

At the MIT Museum in Cambridge, MA, Thomas Bass examines the world’s first wearable computer. The device was used by Claude Shannon and Ed Thorp to increase their odds at the game of roulette. Believe it or not, this was not considered illegal or cheating at the time.

Museum of the City of New York

Museum of the City of New York

At the Museum of the City of New York is an artifact linked to the Equitable Life Assurance Building disaster in 1912. 9601280

At the Museum of the City of New York is an artifact linked to the Equitable Life Assurance Building disaster in 1912.